>the only other thing that might have been mentioned, and neither of us
did, is the "in-current" versus the "out-current" as as it applies to hive
ventilation and efficient smoker usage.

Good point!  I always demonstrate this in my beginners classes.  Show how a
puff of smoke applied to the outflow side of the entrance blows right out
ineffectually, whereas the same puff applied to the inflow side gets sucked
through the hive, and then is visible in the outflow several seconds later.

However, what I've come to learn is that few bees in the center of the
cluster will seldom be roused to sting.  The only ones that you generally
need to be concerned with are those on the periphery.  My rule of thumb is
to give a little waft of smoke to any bees that are looking at you--if they
are looking at you, they are on the defensive.  As soon as they turn around
due to smelling smoke, they no longer act as defenders.

--
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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